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Coming Next Issue
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Dells Auto Museum |
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A Shocking Improvement:
ZF Sachs Nivomat System Shines Under Load (continued) |
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We were paired with an engineer from ZF Sachs and invited to push each vehicle through the course. The ballast became immediately obvious as we tried to manuever the non-Nivomat vehicles through the slaloms, over railroad tracks and across the miniature "jumps." The non-Nivomat controlled vehicles wallowed and bounced, zigged and zagged and left us with a very uneasy feeling. Speaking generally, the non-Nivomat vehicles were quite a handful.
Once we calmed our sea-legs, we climbed into vehicles that were equipped with the Nivomat system and immediately noticed a dramatic improvement. How dramatic? While testing a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban equipped with Nivomat, I had to get out of the vehicle, walk to the back and visually inspect the ballast pack - I thought they had tried to pull a fast one... but the ballast was there, in all of its hefty glory. The engineer had a smile on his face as he gave me the "I told you so" routine.
A full-sized Suburban isn't exactly light on its feet, and it's generally less nimble when loaded with an extra 1500-lbs of heavily rear-biased ballast. But the Nivomat system completely masked the added cargo, and in fact, helped the vehicle feel almost Lotus-like. It shredded the slaloms with nary a tire squeal, it glided gracefully over the railroad tracks with barely a thump, and handled the irregular pavement with grace. It stopped and accelerated with complete control - no body roll, no slinky-like suspension wallow - just sure-footed, stable and safe response.
So if you're contemplating a new vehicle purchase, don't overlook the Nivomat option. And if it's not offered on a particular model, ask the manufacturer why. The benefits are tremendous, and you'll immediately notice the improvement in ride comfort and handling. And while ZF Sachs won't officially confirm it, we believe tire wear may actually improve as a result.
No matter how you slice it, the Nivomat system can't be beat. Check it out for yourself at: http://www.zfsachs.us 
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